1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatic analyzers for performing qualitative/quantitative analysis of samples such as blood and urine. The invention more particularly relates to an automatic analyzer including: a parent sample vessel holding unit for holding a parent sample; a diluted sample vessel holding unit in which a diluted sample vessel is placed, the diluted sample vessel holding a diluted sample made by diluting, with a diluent, a sample pipetted from the parent sample; and a reaction vessel in which the analysis, inspection, and measurement of the diluted sample are performed.
2. Description of the Related Art
When the analysis and inspection are performed by an automatic analyzer, a plurality of measurement items of the analysis and inspection are requested for one patient sample. Here, in the case of analysis of a very small amount of sample such as from a patient whose blood-collecting amount is limited (for example, a newborn baby and a little child), and from an experimental small animal, all requested measurement items may not be completely measured because the fluid volume is small.
As measures against the above problem, for example, JP-A-8-194004 discloses an automatic analyzer that uses a method in which a parent sample is diluted with diluent to ensure the fluid volume required for measurement items.